Ginny Never Knew
by Jabberwocky
Summary: Ginny is a guest in a talk show because a idiodic cousin thinks she's going to have a baby.


Ginny Never Knew

Ginny never knew, when she went on vacation, that her cousin Ruth would mean trouble. Ginny didn't know Ruth that well, but she'd wanted to visit New York on her for her studies of American Magic, and Ruth, though a Muggle, was the only relative the Weasleys had in New York. So of course, Ginny went to visit her, and would make some time to study the Magical History of the city. It was really too bad for Ginny that Ruth was rather nosy and stuck up. She was in High Society in New York, and a fat, redheaded, regal woman. But Ginny, being Ginny, was excited and liked her cousin a lot.  
  


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As a regal member of society, Cousin Ruth did many things "for the benefit of society", which actually meant "so people would think she was a nice, eccentric lady". One such thing was taking all the orphans in an orphanage on an around-city trip, hitting all the sight-seeing places such children don't often see. One place they went was Central Park. Ginny and Ruth were sitting on a stretch of grass somewhere in the park, on a blanket, holding all the baby orphans. This was when the trouble began. 

"Oh, I love babies so much," Ginny said. "I hope I'll have one soon ... " Ruth seemed shocked to discover her cousin had a wish for a child. 

"But, my dear, you're not over 19, and I really don't think someone of such age would be ready ..." 

"I'm 17, actually. And I am ready, I know, my brothers each have a child already, or their wives are pregnant. And when my brother Fred had his first baby, and her mother was still recovering, I took care of it. And I loved my little niece so much ..." 

"But I'm sure your brother's wife ... how old is she ... ?" 

"My age, of course!" 

"And she's already had a child? That is not right. Her mother wouldn't have let her ...?" 

"Her mother is in Canada." 

"Oh, well, if she knew ..." 

"She does." 

"Oh, well, she was married, and you can't be ... yet ... can you?" 

"Yes, thank you, I am married. I got married at the end of the school year." 

"But you can't even be finished school!" 

"I just finished my last year, next year I start my year of post-secondary." 

"But you won't be working ... and your husband is surely not ..." 

"Of course he is! Even though he didn't need really to take his post-secondary, he did anyway, and now he plays sports." 

"Well ... I still cannot imagine ... you're much too young! How would you care for your child?" 

"I'm going to finish school first, or even if I have to wait, Harry's salary will definitely pay for a child." 

"How can you know that? You must never have had money problems, to be so sure of yourself." 

"Actually, my family was always rather poor. My husband is not, and even my brother, who didn't marry up, has a respected government position, and his wife will too, when she finishes her school and maternity leave." 

"I'm still opposed to this. You are too sure of yourself, and I will teach you how much work a child can be." Ginny rather thought it was stupid, because she knew she'd never have money problems, as Mrs. Potter, and always have a loving family, into which three of her school friends married, who would always support her. The next week, however, Ruth told her she was going to teach her how much work a kid is, once and for all, and to get her coat, they were going on a talk show. Ginny was agitated and doubtful. She called Harry, who Apparated over, to meet his wife at the show's studio, and back her up, like the good, loving husband he was. Most of her family came too, including mother of 1, Mrs. George Weasley, Mother of 2, Mrs. Fred Weasley, and Expecting Mother, Mrs. Ronald Weasley. They and Ginny were all the same age. The talk show was strange. First, the people who dragged them over went up on the stage, and they had to record something to say. Ginny dragged Harry in, and said "Of course I want a baby, I'm married, almost done school, my husband has a job, and I've helped with the three children (soon to be four) of my sisters-in-law, and the fact that I'm 17 is terrible to hold against me!" When the audience saw it, she could hear boos, mixed with some cheers, because her husband had held her the whole time and she hadn't swore, and seemed rather close to tears. 

However, sitting behind the stage with Harry was one of the most unnerving moments of her life. Worse than being possessed by Tom Riddle. There were all sorts of teenagers, from 15 to 18, who were wearing revealing clothes, swearing a blue streak, had no men around them, and were saying "y'all don' know me! Y'all don' know me!", demonstrating what they were going to say when they got onto the stage. They were also describing the gross and dangerous measures to which they'd gone to get pregnant. Harry sat, stared, at the not dazzlingly pretty, oftentimes chubby or overweight girls, and hugged the hurt Ginny even closer to him, whispering it would be all right and he'd take her right back to England with him as soon as the show was over. Eventually, Ginny was called onto the stage, and Harry, of course, came with her. She burst into tears when she heard the boo's of the crowd. Harry patted her back and guided her to her seat. He sat down beside her, and glared from behind his glasses at the crowd with his striking green eyes, his scar livid, because he was extremely mad _anyone's_ wife would be treated so, much less the wife of a man who _happened_ to be a celebrity. 

The talk show host asked many questions, such as; 

"I hear you want to have a baby?" 

"Yes, I do." 

"And how old are you?" 

"17." 

"And are you married?" 

"Of course I am! This man here is my husband, Harry Potter!" Harry nodded resolutely. 

"And how old, sir, are _you_?" 

"18, but I'll be 19 on the 31st" 

"And are you working?" 

"Yes, I'm an athlete, and this year, as I've finished my post-secondary training, start with my team." 

"What sport do you play?" 

"Er, a rather unheard-of one ... " 

"What is it called?" 

"Quidditch, actually, I knew you'd never heard of it ... " 

"And what were you studying in College?" 

"I trained to be a government branch of law enforcement." 

"And how do you know this position is secure for you, should you no longer be able to play this Quidditch?" 

"Er ... they promised me ... and I was top of the class ... " 

"And what would you do if your wife got pregnant? Leave her?" 

"No! She's my wife, I love her, I wouldn't have married her if I didn't!" 

"How does your mother fell about this, Ginny?" 

"She doesn't mind, she knows Harry and I are responsible, and it's not like she didn't have Bill when she was my age." 

"OK, what about the rest of your family?" 

"Well, my brothers and sisters-in-law are here, in the audience, and they're all either pregnant or already mother, and were in my year in school!" 

"Will her sisters-in-law and brothers please come up here?" the talk show host asked, and three couples came out of the audience. One was pregnant, and her husband lovingly had his arm around her. 

"What are your names and ages?" 

"Kaitlyn Weasley, 18." said the pregnant lady. 

"Ronald Weasley, 19" her husband said. 

"Siri Weasley, 17." said a blond. 

"Fred Weasley, 20" said her husband, 

"Fiona Weasley, 17" said a Hispanic-looking woman. 

"George Weasley, 20" said her husband, twin of Fred. 

"How many children do you each have?" 

"I have two, they're at Lily's house while I'm here, I would never bring them to New York!" Siri exclaimed. 

"Who is this Lily you speak of?" 

"My friend, her husband has an obsession with little kids." 

"Ah. And how many do you have, Kaitlyn?" 

"This," she patted the bulge, "is my first." She was beaming with happiness. 

"And you, Fiona?" 

"I have one little darling with her nurse right now." 

"And do you think Ginny and Harry could handle a baby? Can you handle your own children?" 

"Of course Ginny and Harry are mature enough. Harry was always so responsible - he's used to having the weight of people's lives on his back, and a kid would just make him happier. And I've _always_ wanted these two together ... a kid would be marvelous for them!" said Kaitlyn emphatically. 

"Sure, they're responsible enough. Ginny has too much love even for Harry, I think he'll suffocate if she doesn't have someone else she can love 24/7. Harry is experienced in responsibility, he saved Ginny from a 17-year-old with a negative interest in Ginny when she was 11 and he 12, and he didn't even know her very well. She was just his best friend's little sister," said Siri, smiling. 

"You know, people are more responsible in England. At least where I live. In my community, in our schools, we finish schooling at 17, and most people get jobs. High-position government jobs. All of us have taken extra courses, because we're all specialists in different fields. Or we will be this year. Ginny and Harry are no exception, and Harry didn't even need the extra courses. They know what being an adult is, and if you think that being 17 makes this impossible, you're horrible people," Fiona said, to the audience's dead silence. 

"Well, be that as it may, Ruth seems to doubt it, so for her and Ginny's safety, Ginny, and all the other girls here, will have to take care of an infant for 24 hours. Alone, sorry Harry," announced the host. Ginny walked off with her head held high, knowing what to do. The mothers of the children would be nearby, Ginny could ask them when she didn't know whether they would accept the way she was going to do something. And she was not going to use magic, just to prove herself. 

She was handed a baby girl by an 18-year-old mother. She held the baby lovingly, sat and played with her, and Harry was watching closely. 

"Is there any particular way I should feed her, like a bottle or something, because I'm assuming you won't want me to ..." Ginny asked. 

"No, no, don't. There are bottles on the table there, OK?" 

"Thanks." 

Ginny was the only person who knew what she was doing. She had already done all these things to her sisters'-in-law children, and knew exactly what she was doing. She calmly sang to Rose, the little baby. She changed her diaper. She looked after her head. She fed her. She held her. She was gentle. 

By the end of the day, she was talking to the mother, Harry, and her family with Rose asleep in her arms. She was the only one who hadn't given up and decided it was better to wait till they were ready to have children. Ginny handed Rose back to her mother, who looked in admiration at Ginny and her husband, who had been beside her all day, asking her if maybe he could help do anything. She always said, "no, dear, just talk to me." 

"Ginny, you are ready to have a kid, if you want one, and I know I wasn't. You're really amazing," said Rose's mother. Ginny bowed a bit, and said "thank you very much". 

"Ginny, I have hosted innumerable shows like this. You are the only girl who has ever been right, that she was ready, had the means, money, and moral support to have a child while still a teen. I commend you," the talk show host said, in awe of this skinny, freckled, redhead and her skinny, black-haired, oddly scarred (he had noticed the telltale scar on Harry's forehead, but didn't know the tale) husband before him. They walked out of the studio with their family, who had waited, even for the whole 24 hours. They were all laughing, patting Ginny and Harry on the back, and Siri was exclaiming "You sure showed those Yanks, Ginny! Good for you!", and Kait said "You name isn't Joe, and you aren't even Canadian, but way to go!" 

Sadly, the host forgot to ask Ginny for a phone number to contact her next time he did one of these shows. 

Ginny promptly Apparated, with everyone else, back to England. 

And Ruth, well, she left the show before Ginny had succeeded, and after Mrs. Weasley found out about the whole situation (she had been in Mexico on a second honeymoon at the time ... ), she told Ruth off severely. 

Now Ginny is 19, and her daughter Rose is six months old. She and Harry, are of course still together. England won the world cup this year (2007), and Harry is thinking of retiring and becoming an auror like Ron. Even though he doesn't need the money. 

_A/N: I watched a talk show today, and it was one of those episodes. And I wondered what they would do if a girl actually did know what she was doing. So I wrote this. I know I should be working on [The Wandering Wand][1], but it's not like I got any reviews for that, and I have another idea. So that'll probably come before a new [Wandering Wand][1] part, which I entreat everyone to please please read! Oh, by the way, the Lily here is not Lily Potter. She, Kaitlyn, Siri, and Fiona are all characters that are married to these people in all my stories._

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=241324



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